The history of upholstered furniture PART 2

2 Chairs became more elegant and graceful and were designed to enable the ladies and gentleman of the age to the up the elegant posing attitudes that were so popular. There was en elegance about the whole of this latter half the 18th century, with its finely proportioned streets, buildings, costumes and furniture. The coming of the19th century saw the beginning of many change that were to alter not only the face of Briton, but the way of life of millions of people. machines were to bring a new wealth, as well as new methods of manufacture; the population was to double in less than 50 years, and the demand for cheap food, clothes and furniture, and homes were to reach heights previously undreamed of. The first year of the century Saw the need for more, and more inexpensive furniture being met by simplification of style, and construction without much depreciation in quality; later the fine traditions of the 18th century lost in the fight for cheaper goods . Although we may condemn 19th century furniture as lacking in refinement, and reflecting the materialistic outlook of the Victorians towards their leisure, as well as their work, it is difficult to find fault with the comfort of their chairs. The introduction of the coil spring for the first time at the beginning of the 19th century was to open up wide possibilities in the design of comfortable chairs, Improvements in artificial lighting must have done much to encourage people to sit and read or do some hobby rather then retire to bed. By the 1830’s the idea that relaxing was not quite the thing was dying fast. The first deep spring chairs seem to have been installed in the men's clubs round St.James and Piccadilly, but quickly found their way into the Victorian home. The Victorians were well aware of the fact that comfort in chairs tends to be s personal matter, and that there Should be specially designed chairs for women as well as men. A study of Victorian furniture catalogues reveals the enormous range of styles and sizes in upholstered furniture in fact the Victorian Age can be called the Age of the upholsterer.